Veteran-Founded Ivy Data is Raising Capital and Planning Growth in Grit City

William Flynt remembers looking around the room lit by radar screens at Joint Base Lewis McChord (JBLM) in Pierce County, Washington. In the back of his mind, the former U.S. Air Force fighter pilot turned tech startup CEO of Ivy Data, was taking notes. He’s tracking those service members studying in the breakroom, readying for their careers after the Air Force.

While Flynt still works occasional shifts at the Western Air Defense Sector at JBLM helping communicate with military pilots, he’s focused on growing his startup in neighboring Tacoma. Among the new talent he plans to bring aboard to grow his Tacoma footprint, Flynt hopes several will be fellow veterans.

“We’ve received strong local support, especially from fellow Tacoma veteran-founded startup Namatad, Inc. It’s easy to demonstrate your military expertise and where that ties into entrepreneurial endeavors in Tacoma,” said Flynt. “We also enjoy easy access to that military pipeline where a shared common background helps build trust faster, and that’s critical in the startup environment.”

Flynt’s startup Ivy Data is currently raising $3 million and aiming to hire between 10 to 20 positions, including full-stack developers and data engineers. The company has national ambitions, and plans to stay rooted in Tacoma. In part, that decision to stay local is part of advice he offers other military members when they consider the startup space. He says, “Start small, validate your assumptions as you go, fail and learn fast. It’s also important to remember your values and keep your priorities, especially family.”

Flynt moved to Tacoma for family, with relatives an hour in each direction. The move also allowed his wife to continue to serve as an Air Force Reserve pilot at JBLM. “No one gets this far by themselves. If you want to go fast, go alone, if you want to go far, go together,” said Flynt, “That’s what I believe and that’s how we’re building Ivy Data.”

To learn more about Ivy Data go to https://www.getivydata.com/ and follow Ivy Data on LinkedIn and Facebook.

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